Pay peace mediators: Oyaya

PEACE mediators in Lae will be motivated to do their jobs more effectively if they are given some incentives, Lae law and order committee chairman Sam Oyaya says. He told The National that the city had 305 community peace officers who had never received any form of payment from the government for their efforts in ensuring peace prevailed. “It’s time community law and order officers are put on the payroll or given some form of financial assistance for their hard work in ensuring there is peace in the community,” Oyaya said. “Many of them have over the years worked tirelessly to ensure there is peace and order in the settlements using their own resources and time. They are like the face of the government in areas where government presence was non-existent.” Oyaya said the peace officers were given some uniforms which were now old and needed replacing. Oyaya said the community peace officers complemented rather than duplicated the work of police at the community level. “Police deal with big cases like rape and murder,” he said. “But the peace officers deal with minor cases and also hold mediation to ensure there is peace in the community.” He said some funding should be allocated by the authorities to assist these officers under the community policing partnership concept so that they do their work effectively.